Band wheel belts

[sandsawmill14]

I am thinking that the " leave the wheel on the bandmill instructions " are specific to changing them on a Woodmizer.

The video on YouTube where the guy removes the wheel is on a Timberking. I have a Baker and I know there is not enough room to do all that prying and blocking on the machine. I,m not saying it can,t be done but I know it will be easier of machine in a bench vice.

Quebecnewf

i have a b20 timberking and can change the b 56 belts in about 30 min it is a it is a hard, pain in the rear 30 min but thats all it takes   that is with wheels on the machine i can change both belts quicker than you can remove either band wheel also to remove the old belts i drive a screwdriver under them and just cut them with my pocket knife if they were worth saving i wouldnt be changing them ;D

[WV Sawmiller]

   I have not had to replace a B57 belt yet but I flip flop the drive and idle sides every 50 hours when I do a routine service for more even wearing. Some people rotate them even more frequently than this, WM recommended, schedule. It would be hard to be much easier than it is with no tools required.

[Bandmill Bandit]

is not the 57 an inch longer?  Making an easier install ??

Yes the B57 Is an inch longer which makes it easy to install BUT allows saw dust to build lumps UNDER the belt in the V groove when sawing Spruce and Pine.

Those "thump bumps" are real PITA as well as a a knuckle buster to clean out and do nothing to reduce blade issues including breakage.

I haven't cleaned a groove in over 700 hrs AND I know getting rid of the thump bump is a significant help in extending blade life. I still turn the idle side belt on every other blade change.   

[plowboyswr]

Okay newbie question here. On the belts I know they should be changed before the blade contacts the steel but what should the minimum clearance be? Not that I have put enough hours on my mill to be worried about it but the information would be handy to have.

[Bandmill Bandit]

Watch the inside of your bands. you will notice a change in the track the wheels leave on the inside of the band. instead of jsut one wide shiny track you will have the band start to show 2 more narrow tracks on each  side of the regular track making the regular track appear to be narrower. You want to change the belt right at the beginning of seeing the 2 narrow tracks.

You DONOT want to try for another 50 or 100 hours. I know that from experience. Also the edges of the belt will start to fray and there will be little pieces about the width of the pulley lips start to go missing. Thats how you know the belt change was  due about 50 hours ago.
 
 

[killamplanes]

Uh oh u decribed my belts!!!

[Bandmill Bandit]

Uh oh u decribed my belts!!!

Killam. Well I hope it saves you trying to figure out why every thing you do to get straight lumber just isn't helping. I was amazed at the difference especially in real knotty white spruce.

[killamplanes]

I make ties and u every road a train. Know u now why there so ruff. Replace those belts!!!!

[Bandmill Bandit]

I missed one tool in my pic of the tools I use. It is a lino installers knife with the hooked tip I sharpened the tip with a wet stone so that it is very sharp takes the work out of trying to pry the belt up to cut it and doesn't sacrifice your trusty pocket knife. 

[redprospector]

I changed the belts on my b-20 yesterday. Started on the idle side, the b56 belt turned completely inside out for 8" or 10". I wasn't smart enough to pull it off and start over, I wrestled it on, chewed the heck out of it on the sides, so I'm not expecting much out of it. The drive side went on as slick as you please, 15 minutes or less. I guess it's a learning process.
I told my wife that I've been changing these kind of belts on different mills for 20 years, and have never had this much trouble.
Hopefully it was just an off day. ;)

[Bandmill Bandit]

I guess if there is one tip that helps the most it would be to just move a half inch to an inch at time. any more than that is what seems to make the belt want to flip right over instead of just slip in partially turned.

If it flips over start over. if its just kinda on edge you can get it in by tapping with a block. and a very round pry tool.

The ATF is another major factor in successful instalation.

[Chuck White]

Okay newbie question here. On the belts I know they should be changed before the blade contacts the steel but what should the minimum clearance be? Not that I have put enough hours on my mill to be worried about it but the information would be handy to have.

I would suggest between 1/16 & 1/8 inch.

When you have the blade tensioned up, check the distance between the edge of the band wheels and the inside of the blade!

[plowboyswr]

Okay newbie question here. On the belts I know they should be changed before the blade contacts the steel but what should the minimum clearance be? Not that I have put enough hours on my mill to be worried about it but the information would be handy to have.

I would suggest between 1/16 & 1/8 inch.

When you have the blade tensioned up, check the distance between the edge of the band wheels and the inside of the blade!

Will do thanks for the info.

[Quebecnewf]

I will have to change mine in the next few weeks . Hoping it goes better but not looking forward to it. Maybe the ATF will do the trick . Did not use that last time.

[Quebecnewf]

Well did the belt change today. Went very well. Took the advice here and used the ATF. Followed the instructions in the YouTube video from Timberking . Nothing to it, funny how easy things are when you know what your doing.

Thanks guys

Quebecnewf

[tom h]

I took the advice of Tom the sawyer and put on a napa bx56 belt on the idle side on my woodmizer. Using two screwdrivers a vicegrip and hammer it only took about 5 minutes.Thanks Tom.

[redbeard]

There is another belt out there that dosent get much press but it dose have advantages. I used the orange neo- preme belts from Sullfolk for several years. Although I switched back too Goodyear B-56
Advantages are they run very quiet while blade is spinning. You can use less tension. Easier to put on but there a pain to get set in groove evenly. Blade has better adhesion when cutting under load. You can sand them and get a nice surface for better grip. They have more distance from blade to Steele wheels (1/4") than automotive (1/8").
Disadvantages
If they do slip on you during milling you will smell burning rubber, they can melt. Takes practice to get the right tension.
One bad blade break where blade gets bound up in the covers and causes extreme friction on the neopreme they can get hot melt and be ruined quickly. The cost is twice as much of a Goodyear B-56.  I learned all of the above by experience using them. I've been tempted to put on a new set that I have because it's more rare to break a blade now. Than it was early on in my milling experiences. But Iam truly more fond of the automotive belts. Just wanted to share my neo-preme experience. 

 

[scully]

Great conversation ! I have only run B57's  I can change them in about 5 min. I can see that there may be an advantage to a "tighter" belt but I run allot of tension and the trade off is faster belt wear .  Not saying my way is right ,it's just how I role .........

[Bandmill Bandit]

i run my belt tension as high as my gauge reads but just so the needle doesn't hit the pin. The belt I just changed was approaching 700 hours of service and that was about 50 to a 100 hrs more than it should have gone. I find the b57 do not give that kind of life and I think the reason of that is that loose belts get a high wear slippage and the saw dust that gets behind the belt will cause higher wear factors too.
 

[Magicman]

Broken blades usually change out my belts, but I just had one that went a bit over 600 hours.  I have no problem running B57's on both bandwheels.

[tom h]

One of the reasons I run b56 belts is I run a electric stationary wm with command control and change blades with sawhead in the return position.It's easier to slip the band blade over the band wheels because of the board return table.

[Bandmill Bandit]

Broken blades usually change out my belts, but I just had one that went a bit over 600 hours.  I have no problem running B57's on both bandwheels.

That is interesting MM. I guess the  wear life is about 600 ish hours either way. I would a thought the loose belts would wear about a 25 % faster.

[Dave Shepard]

My belts get eaten by broken bands. They don't have time to wear out.